Open Source Skills Soar In Demand According to 2018 Jobs Report

The latest Open Source Jobs Report shows a strong market for open source talent, driven in part by the rapid growth of cloud technologies.

Linux expertise is again in the top spot as the most sought after open source skill, says the latest Open Source Jobs Report from Dice and The Linux Foundation. The seventh annual report shows rapidly growing demand for open source skills, particularly in areas of cloud technology.

Key findings of the report include:

Linux tops the list as the most in-demand open source skill, making it mandatory for most entry-level open source careers. This is due in part to the growth of cloud and container technologies, as well as DevOps practices, all of which are typically built on Linux.

Container technology is rapidly growing in popularity and importance, with 57% of hiring managers seeking those skills, up from 27% last year.

Hiring open source talent is a priority for 83% of hiring managers, up from 76% in 2017.

Hiring managers are increasingly opting to train existing employees on new open source technologies and help them gain certifications.

Many organizations are getting involved in open source with the express purpose of attracting developers.

Career Building

In terms of job seeking and job hiring, the report shows high demand for open source skills and a strong career benefit from open source experience.

87% of open source professionals say knowing open source has advanced their career.

Hiring managers say they are specifically looking to recruit in the following areas:

Diversity

This year’s survey included optional questions about companies’ initiatives to increase diversity in open source hiring, which has become a hot topic throughout the tech industry. The responses showed a significant difference between the views of hiring managers and those of open source pros — with only 52% of employees seeing those diversity efforts as effective compared with 70% of employers.

Overall, the 2018 Open Source Jobs Report indicates a strong market for open source talent, driven in part by the growth of cloud-based technologies. This market provides a wealth of opportunities for professionals with open source skills, as companies increasingly recognize the value of open source.